"The 1854 collision at sea between the Arctic and the Vesta, a much smaller French steamship, set in motion one of the most harrowing events in maritime history, with enormous and tragic consequences. David W. Shaw, who brings decades of experience as a seaman to his writing, has based this tale on the firsthand testimony of the few who survived the wreck, including its heroic captain, James C. Luce."--BOOK JACKET.